Collapsible baby-carriage.



No. 729,651. PATENTED JUNBZ, 1903- J. P. OLOFSSON. GOLLAPSIBLE BABY CARRIAGE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. I 1902.

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THE Noam: wrrzns co. mmouwon wasmucmu n c No. 729,651. PATENTED JUNE2,'1903.

J. P. O-LOPSSON. .OOLLAPSIBLE BABY CARRIAQE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO.1, 1902.

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Patented June 2, 1903.

FFICE.

., FATE-NT .fAooB P. OLOFSSONVOF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS;

"Q L PsI LE BEAIBY-CARRIAG E.

' SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 729,651, dated June 1903- Application filed December 1, 19oz. ,SarialNo- 133.403. (No modelfl To (tZZ whom it may oon/cormr Be'it known that I, JACOB P. OLQFSSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certaiirnewand useful.

Improvements in Collapsible Baby-Carriages,r

of-which the following is 'a specification. I

This invention relates to improvements in baby-carriages; "and it consists in certain-13c culiarities of the construction, novel arrangement, and operation of the various parts thereof, as will be hereinafter more fully set' forthand specifically claimed. l

The principal object of my invention is to provide a baby carriage which maybe readily folded into a compact form, so that it may be conveniently carried as a bundle or package, and of such a construction that its parts can be quickly arranged so as to produce a car riage ready for use. i

Another object of the invention isto' so construct the device that it maybe enlargedby means of its adjustable end-gates. i 1

Other objects and advantages of the inven-' tion will be disclosed in the subjoined 'description and explanation In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention pertains to make and use thesame, Ipwill now proceed to describe it, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 1st. view in side elevation of a baby-carriage embodying: my invention and showing by dotted lines some of the different positions to which; the-rear end-gate may be lowered. Fig. 2is a plain view of the carriage, illustrating by dotted lines the folded parts of the wheels' and the positions to which they may be turned and also showing by dotted-lines the position of the end-gates when turned inwardly. Fig. is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, taken on line 3"3of 2 looking in the direction indicated by thearrows and showing by dotted lines the folded positionofthe parts of the rear end-gate. Fig l-jis a plan view of the frame detached; from the wheels and showing the same by dotted lines in its collapsed position. Fig. 5 is a view in side" elevation showing by continuous lines the complete carriage in its folded position, one of the adjustable handle-bars being broken away and illustrating by dotted lines the frame in its normal position. Fig. 6 is a fragmental view of a portion of one of the sides of the frame and one of the adjustable farms for supporting the end-gates. Fig. 7 is a fragmental view of the upper portion of one of the sides of the frame and a part of one of the adjustable handle-bars secured thereto. Fig. 8 is an end view of the upper portion of one of the sides of the frame, showingthe means for securing one of the handlebars thereto. Fig. 9 is a detached perspective view of one of the brackets used for pivotally securing the end-gates to the bottom of the frame. Fig. 10 is a perspective view, partly in section, of a portion of one of the axle-sleeves. Fig. 11 is a face view of one of the disks forming the hub ofthe wheel, showing the means for locking the same to the axle-sleeve. Fig. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view through a portion of one section ofone of the axles, showing the openings in the disk for the securing-rods located in a "boss on the axle-sleeve. Fig. 13 represents detached perspective views of a connectinglink and a portion. of one of the spokes of the wheels, and Fig. 14 is a perspective view of one of the fellies of the wheels,- showing it shortened for the convenience of illustration. Like numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts throughout the different views of the drawings.

The diiferent parts of the carriage are preferably made of aluminium, thus affording great durability without excessive weight; butI do not desire to be limited to any specific kind of material used in the construction of my improved carriage.

The bottom of the frame or body comprises two parallel pieces 20, which are angular in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and a piece 21, located between the pieces 20 and connected thereto by means of bars 22, each of which ispivotally secured at one of its ends to the horizontal portion of the pieces 20 and pivotally secured at its other end to the central piecei2l of the bottom. Se- ,cured to the centralpiece 21 'at the rear of one ormore of the pairs of bars 22 is a stay 23, which prevents the rearward movement of the parallel pieces 20 and of said bars, yet will permit of their free forward movement, so that the parts forming the body of the frame may be folded to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4 of the drawings. To hold the parts comprising the bottom in theirextended or normal position, I pivotally secure to the central piece 21 a locking-bar 24, which is bifurcated at each of its ends and has in each of its prongs an opening 25 to receive a pin 26, located on the pieces 20 of the bottom. To prevent the accidental disengagement of the prongs of the locking-bar 24 from the pins 26, a button 27, pivotally secured to each of the pieces 20, is used, which can be turned so as to engage or disengage said prongs, as is apparcut. The ends of each of the pieces 20 and 21 have secured thereto an upwardly-extending bracket 28, which is preferably bifurcated and has in its prongs 29 openings 30 to receive a pin used for pivotally securin the ends 31 of the upright bars of the end-gates of the frame, as will be presently explained. Each of the end-gates comprises two upright side pieces 32 and an upright middle piece 33, which is connected to both of said side pieces by means of connecting-bars 34, which are pivoted at each of their ends to said upright bars. Secured to the central piece 33 and near one or more of the pairs of bars 34 is a stay 35, which prevents the movements of the bars 34 in but one direction. Each of the sides of the frame consists of an upper rail 36 and a lower rail 37, which are connected together by means of bars 38, pivoted at each of their ends to said rails. The rail 37 of each of the sides of the frame is connected to the upwardlyextending portion of the piece 20 by means of bars 39, which are pivotally secured at one of their ends to the lowerrail and at their other ends to the piece 20, as is clearly shown. Secured to each of the rails 37, near one or more of the pairs of connecting-bars 3S and 39, is a stay 40, which prevents said bars turning in but one direction. Pivotally secured to each of the rails 37, at about its middle, is a lockingbar 41, the ends of which are bifurcated and has in the end of each of its prongs 42 an opening to receive the pins 43 on the rail 36 and piece 20 of the bottom. To hold the prongs 42 of the locking-bars 41 in engagement with the pin 43, a button 46 is pivotally secured to the rails 36 and piece 20, so that they may be.

turned so as to engage or disengage said prongs. As will be observed in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the upper edge of each of the rails 37 is provided with recesses 47 to receive hooked arms 48, secured at the side edges of the seat 49, upon which the child may sit and which will be suspended between the rails 37 of the sides of the frame, as is obvious.

Adj ustably secured, by means of a set-screw 50, near each of the ends of each of the rails 36 of the sides of the frame is a slotted bar 51, which has its outer end detachably secured to a suitable bracket 52 on the upright side pieces of the end-gates. Each of the setscrews 50 is preferably provided with a small handle 53, to be used for conveniently turning them when it is desired to lower the endgates outwardly, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings, so as to enlarge the capacity of the frame or-to afford an inclined support for the back of the child, which adjustment may be effected by loosening the screws so that the slotted bars 51 will slide thereon.

Pivotally secured at one of its ends to the front portion of each of the pieces 20 of the bottom is a handle-bar piece 54, which is provided with a series of straps 55 to receive the extensible piece 56, which fits between the straps 55 and the piece 54 and may be secured in place by means of a set-screw 57, located in one of said straps. The upper end of each of the extensible pieces 56 is provided with an open-ended slot 53 to receive a cross-bar 59, which bar is held in place by means of a hook 60, pivotally secured to each of the pieces 56 near its upper end. Each of the handlebar pieces 54 is provided with a beveled opening 61 to receive and engage the beveled and elongated head 62 of a set-screw, which is secured in a boss 63 on each of the rails 36 of the sides of the frame.

Secured to the lower surface of each of the pieces 20 and near their middle is a bracket 64, in which is transversely journaled a cam 65, which has a handle 66, used for turning the same. The brackets 64 are provided with slots 67, through which the springs 63 pass. These springs are broken between the ends of the bracket 64 and have secured to one of their portions a plate 69, which rests on the cam 65, all of which is clearly shown in Fig. 1. of the drawings. 13y turning the cam to a vertical position, as shown in said figure, the tension will be given to the springs, so as to yieldingly support the frame; but when it is desired to fold the parts together the cam should be turned to a horizontal position, which will allow the springs to assume almost a horizontal position or to lie in parallelism with the pieces 20 of the bottom. Each end of each of the springs is pivotally secured to a journal-box 70, which is used to support the axle-sleeves 71, one of which sleeves is located on the outer portions of the sections 72 and 73, which telescope with the other and comprise the axles. Each of the sleeves 71 has on its outer end an enlargement 74, provided with longitudinal openings, in each of which is located a rod 75, having near its outer end a recess 76 to engage a lockingdisk pivotally secured on the outer surface of one of the spoke-retaining disks of the axlesections. The rods are adj ustably secured in place by means of set-screws 77, located in the enlargement 74 of the axle-sleeve, which has fixed thereon, near its other end, a spokeretaining disk or collar 7 8, which is provided with a series of radial slots 79 to receive the inner ends of the spokes 30, which ends are pivotally retained in place by means of a wire 81 passing through openings in the spokes and located in an annular groove 82 of said disk ICC or collar. As shown in Figs. and 5 of the drawings, a washer S3 is located between the journal-box and the disk or collar '78, and said j ournal-boxes are prevented from sliding inwardly by means of collars 8 1, fixed to the inner portion by each of the sleeves by means of said screws 85 or otherwise. Each of the sections comprising the axles passes through one of the sleeves 71 and has rigidly secured on its outer end a spoke-retaining disk or collar 86, which is provided with a series of radial slots 87 to receive the inner ends of the outer spokes, which are pivotally secured in place by means of a wire 88, located in an annular groove 89 in said disk or collar. This disk or collar has openings 90 to receive the rods 75 on the enlargement of the sleeve 71 and also has pivotally secured on its outer surface a locking-disk 91, provided with projections 92 to engage the recesses 76 in said rods. The locking-disk 91 is preferably provided with openings 93 for a spanner to be used for turning the same. tBy reference to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings and from the foregoing it will be understood that each of the wheels has an inner and outer set of spokes, the inner set being pivotally secured at their inner ends to the disk or collar 7 8, while the outer set is similarly secured at their inner end to the disk or collar 86 on the axle-section. The upper end of each of the spokes is formed with a slot 94 to receive a tongue 95 on each end of a link 96, each of which is provided with a recess 97 to receive projections 011 the tire-band or felly. The outer ends of the spokes are pivotally secured to the tongues of the links 96 by means of pins located in the openings 98 and 99 in the tongues and spokes, respectively. Located on the outer surface of the links 96 and outer ends of the spokes 80 is a tire-band or felly 100, which is preferably made of two pieces 101 and 102, of flexible material, having on their inner surfaces a series of projections 103 to fit in the recesses 97 of the links and 011 their outer surfaces a series of lips 104 at each of their edges to hold the rubber tire 105, which may sometimes be used, in place. One end of each of the pieces comprising the felly is provided with a slot 106 to receive a tongue 107 on the other end, which tongue is passed through said slotfrom the outside and by means of an opening 108 engages a pin 109 on the inner suface of the band, thus forming a separable felly, which may be quickly formed into a band or circle.

I From the foregoing and by reference to the drawings it will be readily seen and clearly understood that by turning the lockingdisks 91 so as to release their projections 92 from the recesses 76 of the rods 7 5 the axle-sections may be drawn outwardly through the sleeves 71 until said sections are disconnected, in which operation the spokes, by reason of their pivotal connections, will be brought in about alinementwith the axle-sections, when each wheel thus folded may be turned so as to lie longitudinally under the pieces 20 of the bottom. By turning the cams to a horizontal position the springs (58 will be relieved of their tension and will lie about horizontally.

' In order to fold the frame, the arms 51 are detached from the end-gates, when they may be turned inwardly, so as to rest on the bottom, at which time by releasing the lockingbar 24 the bottom and end-gates may be folded to the positions shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4: of the drawings. To fold the sides 'of the frame, the portions 56 of the handle .bars are removed and the portions 54 of said shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by,

Letters Patent, is-

1. In a collapsible carriage, a body or frame comprising a jointed bottom, a jointed side loosely secured to each side of the bottom, jointed end-gates loosely secured to the front and rear ends of the bottom so that either can be turned rearwardly or forwardly, means on the bottom and each of said sides to lock and hold them in their extended positions, substantially as described.

2. In a collapsible carriage, a body or frame comprising a jointed bottom, a jointed side loosely secured to each side of the bottoin, jointed end-gates loosely secured at their lower ends to the front and rear ends of the bottom, detachable and adjustable connections uniting the upper ends of the end-gates to the upper portionsof the sides, means on the bottom and each of the sides to lock them in their extended positions, and means on the bottom, sides and end-gates to prevent the movement of their members in but one direction, substantially as described.

3. In a collapsible carriage, a body or frame comprising a jointed bottom, a jointed side loosely secured to each sideof the bottom, jointed endgates loosely secured at their lower ends to the front and rear ends of the bottom, detachable and adjustable connec* tions uniting the upper ends of the end-gates to the upper portions of the sides, means 011 the bottom and each of the sides to lock them tensible bar adjustably connected to each of mounted on the springs, substantially as described.

5. In a collapsible carriage, the runninggear comprising a front and rear axle, each formed of two telescopic sections, a slotted disk or collar on the outer end of each section and provided with openings, a lockingdisk pivoted on the outer surface of each of said collars, a sleeve located on each of the axle-sections and having on its outer end an enlargement provided with locking-rods to pass through the openings in said collars, a slotted disk or collar on the inner end of said sleeve, spokes pivotally secured at their inner ends in the slots of the disks on the said sleeves and axle-sections, and linked together at their outer 'ends, a felly or tire-band detachably connected to the outer ends of the spokes, a journal-box on each of the sleeves,

and springs extending from one axle to the other and pivotally connected to the j ournalboxes, substantially as described.

6. In a collapsible carriage, the runninggear comprising a front and rear axle, each formed of two telescopic sections, a slotted disk or collar 011 the outer end of each section and provided with openings, a locking-disk pivoted on the outer surface of each of said collars, a sleeve located on each of the axle-sections and having on its outer end an enlargement provided with locking rods to pass through the openings in said collars, a slotted disk or collar on the inner end of said sleeve, spokes pivotally secured at their inner ends in the slots of the disks on the said sleeves and axle sections, links pivotally connecting the spokes in pairs at their upper ends and provided with recesses, a felly or tire-band provided with projections to fit in said recesses and having means at its ends to detachably fasten them together so as to form a band around the outer ends of the spokes, a journal-box on each of the sleeves, and springs extending from one axle to the other and pivotally connected to the j ournal-boxes, substantially as described.

JACOB P.'OLOFSSON.

WVitnesses:

(Inns. 0. TILLMAN, A. GUsTAFsoN. 

